What to do if your Twitter account gets hacked.

Lately I’ve noticed an awful lot of the people I follow on Twitter fall victim to having their accounts hacked. More often than not, this hacking results in spammy tweets being shared without the users knowledge. This may explain your best friend’s latest tweet about making $585 from home yesterday and the link to find out how. The standard remedy most people try is a simple password change to cut off whomever hacked their account. Although that strategy would work for a more primative platform like email, Twitter, thanks to the rise of custom applications, is much more complex. It often takes more than a password change to keep out a hacker.

So why doesn’t a password change always work in this situation? It has to do with the fact that many phishing/hacking entities don’t access a Twitter account by logging in. They actually get in through application authorizations. In order to give these pests the boot, you’ll have to clean up the applications you’ve allowed access to your Twitter account. To do this, I’ve put together a simple guide to help you address this issue.

Step 1: Click “Settings” on your profile drop down menu. This is located in the upper right corner of your screen once you’ve logged in to Twitter.com. In case you can’t find it, I’ve included a screen shot of it below.

Step 2: Click the Applications tab in your settings menu. It’s located on the far right on the settings toolbar.

Step3: Identify the applications you don’t recognize or are not comfortable allowing access to your Twitter account and click “Revoke Access.” After you’ve revoked access, refresh the page and the pesky applications will disappear. See the image below for a look at what this button looks like.

It’s still a good idea to change your password after you’ve removed applications. Once you’ve done this, you should be free of phishers and hackers. Hopefully, you can avoid them in the future too.

38 Comment

My account was recently hacked. I didn’t even know it… the message that was sent out didn’t raise any red flags. Eventually someone asked if my account had in fact been hacked. It had. This process is how I had to make sure it didn’t happen again.

These hackers are getting tricky… and sometimes even when the link is from a trusted account, it might be spam. I was hacked yet again. And changing my password didn’t help. I am safe now… for now. Great blog post, and one that a LOT of people sending out unknown direct messages should take note of.

my twitter has been hacked, i cant get into it, it says my user name is incorrect or my password is incorret i dont know what to do, and i have alot of followers, and 1 hours ago it said get more followers its free, with the website underneath! and it says my old twitter account that got hacked is following my new twitter account. can you help me get back into my old twitter account please!

Louisaa, you’ll need to click the “forget password” link on the login page. This will send you a password reset email. After you’ve gotten that email and reset your password, go through the steps outlined in this post. If you still can’t login you’ll have to submit a support request through the Twitter Help Center.

Aimeesays:

my twitter has been hacked, i cant get into it, it says my username is incorrect and my password is incorrect. I am clueless as to what to do. i have alot of followers and many celebs are following me. I know i got hacked as i have a personal account and its following my hacked account. The hacker changed my name, bio, DP and everything. Can you help me get back into my old twitter account please? I swear I dont know what to do. I feel like crying . The hacker spams porno sites . My friends thot its me , and misunderstandings occur . Help HELP! Please?

My twitter account was hacked. I received an email saying my twitter email account had been changed, but I didn’t make the change. I can no longer enter my account. I sent an email to the twitter support team three days ago, but no response. Do you know how long the process takes to have my issue answered and resolved?

farrahsays:

i got the same email as marku, i am so frustrated because twiitter is not doing anything to help it has been 4 days

@farrah I understand, it was Feb.22nd since I contacted twitter, it’s now March 6th, no response. I’m still hopeful they will resolve the issue. I hope they fix it or at contact me alot sooner… than later.

Diaglassays:

Recently, i found out that my twitter has been sending out spamming virus messages. I afraid that it will get worse! I changed my password and revoke access. Is it safe now?

I tried to log in with my password and email and it sent me to a different twitter account

Pamsays:

I replied to a tweet from a friend on twitter to wish someone a happy bday. I went to that person’s site and left a message saying happy birthday and then BAM my account was suspended. Lost all followers and I am now not following the ~450 people I was following!! HELP!!! Any options other than creating new account? Is it worth contacting twitter to resolve?

brendensays:

I have been recieving messages from my friends that said: “hey,this person is making horrible things about you” but they had a url on it? and my friends said i have been sending random messages. does this mean im getting hacked? please help! also i changed my password with everything spelled right but it says its incorrect. whats does this mean?

brendensays:

pam, I know how u feel. do u think u were hacked? i have a feeling i am! someone tell me if the problem i have (wich is shown up) if I am hacked or not?! please!

Just 2 days ago I tried to send a tweet and it was unauthorised and saved to drafts. I then noticed my name had been changed to Ricardo and I now live in Los Angeles.

I tweet From my iPhone so with the app installed I have limited ability to resolve issues on the go. I assumed it was a twitter data error- but when I have gone to my account settings it prompts me for my password which I enter and it is not accepted.

Problem is I’m not 100% sure which email is linked to the twitter account and I forgot to authenticate by mobile. I tried to have a password reset emailed to my account …. But no email appears. So I think the idol email account I created under a similar name has been hijacked, and this is linked to twitter….

It’s odd that no tweets have gone out yet…

It’s really frustrating as I am unable to do anything.

Soumyarup Paulsays:

My twitter is getting repeatedly hacked.
The password is being changed each time and i have to reset it.
Its annoying. And its sending spammy messages of weight loose(20 lbs) to everyone.
I dont even have any applications which has access to my account except Facebook and Twitter Colours.
I ‘revoke access’ to all the applications i had. But its still getting hacked!!!! 🙁 🙁

Biancasays:

i got hacked at like may 11 2012 cos i got a co-owner for my account which is now @ObeyHarrold
i e-mail/contacted twitter about it, tried resetting the password but still, it isn’t recognized, what should i do? :'(

Thanks for posting this! I just had my account hacked a couple of days ago. I followed your checklist and I am hoping that the hacker is gone now! Thanks!

muzisays:

I forgot my email password and twitter password what can I can I do.

Alexsays:

The hacher has changed everything can’t even receive twitter messages and log in please help it’s been three weeks now please help.

JPsays:

My account is still being hacked after changing passwords at least 6 times.I use very hard ones to hack and have revoked most accesses except for the following. Are any of them the culprits?

LG Phone LG Phone by Good Technology

Google/Twitter integration.

Friend Connect Friend Connect by Google

Twitpic Twitpic by Twitpic Inc

Share photos on Twitter with Twitpic

Ashlynsays:

Hi! So I probably have been hacked as well by one of those sly ads that everyone clicks on. But I have two accounts on one Email i think so when I request a password change email, it only does it for the acct I don’t use! Is there anyway to just delete all my other accounts period? I just want to be able access my main twitter! Or is there like a twitter head quarters I could call for help?! Lol I’m desperate. Help!!!

I would change the email address on the account that you have access to but don’t use, the request a new password again for the account that you’re trying to get access to. You should receive a proper email about that account since there are no longer two accounts associated with one email.

ashlynsays:

i did that and then i realized you can only have one account per email. and i dont remember the email i used. i have tried all of my emails and none of them are it. WHAT NOW?!!i dont want to delete my account 🙁

Ashlyn, I’d say you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. If you don’t remember your email address, I really don’t know what to tell you.

Juliasays:

My account has definitely been hack. Cannot add new persons to follow and always have new persons I’m following when I log in. I received the password reset email but after following this link, cannot set a new password ! I know it has to be a 6 caracter password and type it 2 times, but it doesn’t work. It writes that my password is invalid.

Mahirwansays:

Mr Steve : I cant get in to my twitter account , because it says there , that I’ve forgotten my password , but I’m not ! It ask me to give my username on twitter or e-mail , so I rather pick e-mail ! after I give them my e-mail , it says that the password reset code have been sent to my e-mail , and here’s another thing , I also cant logged-in to my yahoo e-mail ! I also said the same thing , “have you’ve forgotten your password?” , but infact I remember it ! I dont know what has happen , so If you sire , have the solution , pls do reply my comment ! ^^

Raven Moylesays:

Do u think u can help me, I can’t log into my twitter account! Everytime i try to log in, this page will pop up showing random letters and numbers that i have to type in! So i type them in and press enter or sign in (both), NOTHING HAPPENS!!!! :,,,( When I check for caps locks a million times….. I PUT IT IN CORRECTLY!!!!!! But it’s not working all of a sudden! It’s actually affecting my life! I know it sounds silly, but it is the only “fun“ way I can connect with my friends who live miles away! I don’t want to get a new account though, it’s too much work to get a hold of all my followers! I love the account that i already have. AND, ever sinse this situation, people at school have been acting “weird“ around me, something’s going on! I have been upset for 2 days so far, and i don’t want to be upset about it anymore! I can’t really tell if somebody hacked it! My password is really hard for anybody to guess, but there hasn’t been any new tweets that are not fimiliar! I would change my password, but my Gmail isn’t working either! Both twitter and Gmail forgot my passwords! What do you think is going on, i am actually really nervous about it! I tried to get help on the twitter help center and get help with Gmail help, but i know they won’t do anything about it! 🙁 🙁 Please give me some advice or instructions on how to reset a new password for both (without logging in) if u can, i know there’s a way!!! Please reply back 2 me,ASAP! Thank u! -Raven Moyle.

My account was recently hacked…I went to sign in and it said that my password was incorrect, so I sent an email for a password change, but I did not receive an email giving me a pw change, but instead an email verifying my email change. I still have access to my account on my itouch but I cant log in from any where!! I know I could get a new twitter but mine ( Styles_Nip_Slip ) has 4000 followers and Ive had it for a long time! I do not have a phone number hooked up into it so i cant recieve texts either. Help me!!!!!!

Raven Moylesays:

Ok, so it is me, Raven again, u r probably really annoyed, and i apoligize, but i jst wanted 2 let u know, tht first of all, my email started wrking, second of all, i think i know what was wrong with my twitter, and how to fix it, and third, doesn’t really matter cuz i hav facebook, so i guess, its all good, again, i apoligize 4 putting so much info and asking u 2 do so much, and i am also sorry 4 telling about these kids at my school acting weird about this, i dont know y i even did tht, i guess i was jst really frustrated, so, i thought i should just let u know about it, thx. 🙂
Raven Moyle

Caleb bestsays:

Hackers gained into my twitter account by changing my email adress and password…. I think it is because I allowed acess of applications into my account. Please what do I do, My followers are reducing daily and the hacker is sending spam messages to my followers..

Tobi Omoteyesays:

Please my account got hacked by someone from INDONESIA and he has changed the e-mail i used and password now i can’t login again and i don’t want to lose my account…. help please.

meysays:

my twitter has been hacked . they changing my email and password. please help me

jumanasays:

hey, i opened a link that was sent to me on a DM on twitter, and now i can’t get into my account because the password doesn’t work!
i ried to change my password but an e-mail is not being sent to chang it although Twitter says it was sent! and i submited in the help center, it still doesn’t work!
the problem is i have 26,000 followers!! what can i do? HELP!

Charlottesays:

I am logged into my twitter on my phone but my phone was stolen. How do i log off my twitter account from the mobile twitter app from a laptop?

manalisays:

my twitter account has been hacked by someone and that hacker changed my email and also twitter password help me please

Tosheesays:

Okay Like 2-3 years ago I had this account. I used an email to that account that I dont currently use anyomore. I want to delete the account but, I deleted my email before I TRIED to delete the accout. Sadly Twitter can not verify me if I’am the REAL account owner. And, I had no moible number registerd on the account. Is there anything else I can do??? Btw I havent used this account almost 3 years so, I read the Twitter rules say something about if account is inactive it can be permanently deleted. Is this true??? Im sure the accoumt is inactive , will they delete it though ??